XMen Origins: Axion
by King Cairo
Summary: Full summary inside. I don't own Marvel or Capcom. Please review and comment. Pairings are OroroxT'challa, ScottxJean, RoguexGambit, OCxKitty, and more.
1. Prologue: The Infant's Destiny

X-men Origins: Axion

Prologue

Summary: When a pair of mutants are captured and sent to Genosha, what will happen to their infant son? From being found by an assassin, to being raised by Mother Nature herself, watch this young man's rise to power.

Speaking: normal

Thoughts, flashbacks, com-link/mobile devices, and notes: _italicized_

Demons, monsters, etcetera: **bold**

Author speaking and spell casting: _**bold italicized**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or Capcom. That being said; please enjoy and don't forget to review.

The Magistrates were ruthless. They rounded up mutants left and right and cared them off to Genosha. One couple, who had just recently given birth to a child, knew it was only a matter of time before they were found.

Desperate to save their newborn son, the man called upon the help of an assassin named Elektra. His reason for hiring her was that she was not a mutant, and therefore would not be tracked by the Magistrates.

The mother used a small portion of her powers to instill an advanced knowledge into her son. She looked down into her son's blue eyes and said, "This will be the last time we see you. I'm going to hide you somewhere. When the Magistrates come, you must be silent. Once they leave, a woman will come in looking for you. As soon as you hear her voice, cry and wail as loud as you can."

The baby's father came back with a pair of sealed envelopes as well as a note. He put them in the baby's basket (cliché but important) and said, "The woman will take you to safety. You will have a new life to live. I want you to know that we will never stop loving you, son."

The baby reached out for his father's hand, causing the man to cry as he fawned over his child one final time. When he finished, the woman put a blanket over the basket and hid him in a secret closet that was hidden away in the hall.

As soon as she closed it off, a crashing sound was heard. Without warning the Magistrates grabbed the adults and fled the area. Through all of this, the infant stayed silent.

After an hour had passed by, the door was broken in by a woman garbed in red. As she looked around the house, she couldn't find anyone. "Damn," she said, "I got here too late to help them. I just hope the child is still here."

She began looking around the house, but the sound of crying made her stop moving. She turned around and realized that the crying was coming from the wall behind her.

After looking for an opening, she pulled out a sai and tapped it against the wall to find a hollow point. Within moments, the woman realized that the entire wall was hollow.

She was about to kick it in when she noticed scratch marks on the floor. Trying her luck, she pulled at the wall until it started sliding.

The wall quickly gave way to reveal a hidden room. Looking around, the woman finally noticed the blanket covered basket on the floor. She removed the blanket and found the source of the crying.

It was the newborn that she had been tasked to protect. She lifted the basket out of the room and pulled out her cell phone.

After hearing it ring twice, she quickly said, "I found the child, but his parents are gone."

A gruff voice replied, "_Meet me outside Elektra. I'll pull the car around._"

Elektra closed her phone and looked at her charge. The infant had stopped crying and was now reaching out to her. It took a great deal of resolve not to giggle at the sight before her.

She quickly exited the house where a black convertible was waiting. She jumped into the back seat and said, "Let's go, Logan. The Magistrates might come back."

Logan nodded and started driving again. Elektra looked at the infant and noticed a letter in the basket. As soon as she started reading, she could almost feel her heart break.

_Elektra,_

_ We regret to inform you that we purposely stalled you so that you would not arrive in time to save us. Had you actually been here during our capture, you might've been killed. _

_By the time you arrive, we should be gone. However, we have given our son the means to help you locate him in the hidden room. _

_In his basket are our wills and final words. They are to be passed on to him once he reaches the age of seventeen. Also, as a personal thank you, we have named you as our child's godmother._

_We request that you take him to Charles Xavier. He will explain everything that we aren't able to. Please take care of him Elektra…and thank you. _

_Our only wish is that he grows up strong and knowing that we loved him for the short time that we had him. The Magistrates are getting closer to the house. There is no time left. Thank you again Elektra. We know that little Daemon…_

It was there that the letter was cut off. Apparently, the infant's parents couldn't finish the letter in time. Elektra allowed a single tear to fall from her eye before saying, "We're going to the Institute. The baby's parents want me to speak to Professor Xavier. He apparently, has some answers for me."

Logan nodded. "Hang on, Elektra. This is gonna get fast."

Institute…

Charles Xavier had just concluded a meeting with some of his students when he felt Logan's presence. A few moments later, said person walked into his office with Elektra and the baby in tow.

Charles smiled and said, "You've finally arrived, Elektra. I take it you have some questions for me."

The assassin nodded and sat down. "First of all, why did Magneto have those two captured?"

Professor X. sighed and said, "I regret to inform you that Magnus is no longer in charge of Genosha. The nation was stolen away from him over a year ago. The abduction of your friends was not his doing."

Elektra nodded at this information. It seemed that the Brotherhood would not be the target of her ire. "Why didn't the X-men intervene in this?"

Charles clasped his hands together and said, "We didn't intervene because the child's parents asked us to stay away. Seeing as how the X-men are wanted criminals on Genosha, we would've most likely been killed."

Logan grunted. "I still can't believe the Magistrates managed to nab those two. The thought alone kinda freaks me out."

The professor was about to say something else when there was a knock on the door. Elektra opened the door to reveal a woman with flawless dark brown skin and long white hair.

The woman smiled and said, "I apologize for interrupting, professor, but have you seen Wolverine? Scott needs his help in the garage."

Logan moved from his spot on the wall and said, "Well, I'd better go see what the shrimp wants. I'll be back to check on the kid, Charles."

After allowing the man to pass her, the white haired woman said, "Professor, what did Logan say about a child?"

The bald man wiped his brow and said, "He was referring to the infant in that basket, Ororo."

Letting her curiosity get the better of her, Ororo wandered over to the basket in Elektra's arms and pulled back the blanket. As soon as she did, the baby boy stared at her before reaching out with his tiny hands.

The woman pointed a finger at the infant and watched in amusement as he grabbed her finger and giggled. Elektra smiled and said, "I think he likes you, Storm. Oh well, I'd better get him to the orphanage before they close down for the night."

Storm grabbed her hand. "Hold on. Are you saying that this beautiful child is an orphan?"

Elektra nodded and said, "His parents were grabbed by the Magistrates of Genosha. I'd look after him myself, but my line of work won't allow me any free time to take care of him."

Charles instantly caught on to the assassin's plan and silently hoped it would work. Storm looked at the baby again only to feel her heart warm from looking into his bright blue eyes.

She picked him up and said, "You are such an amazing child. Just looking at you makes my heart swell."

As if understanding her, the baby placed a hand over her heart. That moment was the last straw for Ororo. She turned to Elektra and said, "I'll adopt him. I just can't in good faith let him be placed in an orphanage. Besides, he's already growing on me."

Elektra smiled and said, "I'm glad to hear that. His parents had a set of adoption papers drafted just in case someone decided to take him. You're doing a really nice thing, Ororo."

The white haired woman smiled as she signed the adoption papers. Elektra looked at the baby one final time and said, "I won't be around much until you get older, but I will make sure to visit you. Be safe and have a good life Daemon."

She then kissed his cheek and made for the door. Storm looked at the child and said, "Well, it looks like your new name is Daemon Monroe. As long as I live, I promise that I will always love you."

Daemon giggled again as Storm tickled his tummy. Charles smiled at the scene in front of him. He knew that Ororo would love the child as her own.

Suddenly, his mind was bombarded with blurred-out visions. The first scene was of a child with short white hair reading from a spell book. While he couldn't see the child's face, he could almost feel the happiness that the child was radiating.

Standing behind the child was a figure that was immersed in their own tome of spells. Feeling for some familiarity, he discovered the figure to be Stephen Strange.

Without warning, the scene changed to show the boy in his pre-teens on a rooftop. He was dressed as a ninja and carried two katanas. The boy removed his mask to show that his hair now reached below his shoulder blades.

A figure appeared in front of the young teen. Although he couldn't clearly see the vision, he knew that the red figure was Elektra. The boy gave a short bow to her before vanishing.

Once again, the scene changed to show a balcony in the institute. In this vision, he saw a boy in his late teens with knee-length white hair carrying a strange bladed staff.

The young man was dressed as an X-man and had his head to the sky. Standing next to him were Ororo and Logan. As his vision became clear, he saw that both the boy and Storm were smiling while Logan simply looked amused.

Charles looked at the baby and thought, "_You will go very far in life, young Daemon. This, I can guarantee._"

Little did the professor know, he would be right…in more ways than he ever thought possible.


	2. Chapter 1: Daemon Munroe's Magical Day

X-men Origins: Axion

Ch. 1

Summary: When a pair of mutants are captured and sent to Genosha, what will happen to their infant son? From being found by an assassin, to being raised by Mother Nature herself, watch this young man's rise to power.

Speaking: normal

Thoughts, flashbacks, com-link/mobile devices, and notes: _italicized_

Demons, monsters, etcetera: **bold**

Author speaking and spell casting: _**bold italicized**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or Capcom. That being said; please enjoy and don't forget to review.

It had been at least four years since Daemon had been adopted by Ororo. During their time together, everyone had almost forgotten that he was not her actual child. Most people, Storm included, chose to believe that Daemon was her son in every way possible.

Some people who didn't know them that well simply assumed that Ororo had a son. Elektra, as the child's godmother, kept to her promise and visited him whenever she could. Speaking of Elektra, she was currently meeting with Storm and the professor…

X-Mansion…

Charles was enjoying a rather large book when he felt a familiar presence in his office. Without looking up from his book, he smiled and said, "We do have a front door, Elektra."

Elektra jumped down from the ceiling and said, "Doors are too overrated for my tastes. I prefer the stealthier methods."

Professor X nodded and said, "I must admit that you've come at a very interesting time. There is something that you need to know."

Elektra perked an eyebrow at this. She then closed her eyes and calmed her spirit. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes and said, "The door's open, Ororo."

True to her words, Storm swiftly strolled into the room. She turned to the assassin and asked, "How did you know I was at the door?"

Elektra smirked and said, "It's a ninja thing. Now, I believe that Professor Xavier has to tell me something."

Charles closed his book and said, "It's about Daemon. It seems as though his X-Gene has awakened. With Cerebro's assistance, I would gauge him at a Class 2 mutant."

Elektra gasped. "How can a four year old have that much power? What exactly is his mutation?"

Ororo smiled and said, "His mutation is a magic-based one. That is something that we rarely ever see in a mutant."

Elektra nodded and said, "I think I know someone who can help with his powers. Let me make a quick call."

Only Charles noticed when the ninja slipped out of the room. Elektra walked outside and pulled out her phone. She dialed a number and quickly said, "It's me. I need you to have Stephen Strange come out to the X-mansion."

A deep voice said, "_I assume that there will be something worth the call, Ms. Nachios._"

Elektra grinned and said, "It's not a something, Nick. It's a person. Also, don't call me by my last name."

She quickly snapped her phone shut and went back into the mansion. Taking a few turns, she walked into a room where a small boy with white hair was reading a book. The boy looked up and said, "Auntie, you came back again."

Elektra picked the child up and said, "Yes I did, Daemon. I came here just to see you."

She then spun him around before giving him a bear hug. He quickly jumped down and said, "Look what I can do, Auntie."

Daemon waved his hand and made the book he was reading fly into it. He then held it up and said, "I can do that with other stuff too."

Elektra looked at the book he was reading. It was labeled 'Opening the Eye: A spell book for beginners'. She smiled and said, "It looks like little Daemon is learning magic. It's a good thing that I know someone who can help you. He's a real master of magic."

Suddenly, the intercom system clicked on. Charles's voice calmly said, "Elektra, would you please bring Daemon to my office? There is someone here to see him."

The assassin lifted her godson into her arms before leaving the room. When she returned to the office, Nick Fury and a man in a black suit with a dark red cape were standing next to Charles. Nick stepped forward and said, "Elektra, I really hope you didn't call me here to talk about a three year old."

Daemon stuck out his tongue before saying, "I'm four and a half, baldy. By the way, who are you supposed to be?"

The tall black man dusted off his coat and said, "My name is Commander Nick Fury. I work for very important people."

Daemon jumped out of Elektra's arms and glided over to the desk. He then looked at Nick and said, "You work for something called SHIELD. Aren't you guys like an international group?"

Nick turned to Elektra and asked, "How does a four year old child have that information?"

Elektra smirked and said, "I told him about SHIELD on my last visit and he's four and a half."

The man in the cape said, "It seems that our reason for coming here is indeed important, commander. I don't think I've ever seen a child so young manage to hover in mid-air. That kind of magic usually takes most adult sorcerers years to master."

Nick turned to Daemon and said, "Can you do anything else?"

Daemon nodded and made the nameplate on Charles's desk levitate. He then waved his hand and made it transform into a small statue of the professor. After waving his hand again, the statue transformed back into a nameplate.

Stephen nodded and said, "I must admit to be astounded. This kind of magical control is well beyond the years of a child. Young Daemon, how would you like the chance to further your magical studies?"

Daemon looked at the man and asked, "Will I have to leave the mansion?"

Doctor Strange smiled. "There will be times where you will accompany me on your lessons, but the majority of your studies shall be done here in the comfort of your home. Now, to begin your studies, I shall acquire for you a magical tome that will better suit your current skill level."

He then conjured a book that said 'Mystic Medium: Level 3'. Doctor Strange handed him the book and said, "In one month's time, I shall return. I expect you to have at least read chapters one through three by then."

After saying his words, Stephen vanished in a purple flash. Nick turned to Daemon and said, "You are one strange kid. I'll be keeping my eyes on you, so try to stay out of trouble."

Meanwhile…

A man in a black suit was currently playing chess alone in the park when a woman with black hair sat down across from him. The man looked up and said, "Ms. Darkholme, it's always a pleasure to see you. Might I inquire about your meeting me here?"

The woman smirked and said, "It seems that one of the X-Men has had a child. His name is Daemon, if I am correct."

The man ran a hand through his white hair and asked, "Why should a mere child warrant your interests?"

The woman simply smirked again and said, "His mutation has already manifested itself. The boy has magical abilities."

The man looked down and said, "Monitor the child, but make no attempts to harm him, Mystique. I want to see how this boy's life will play out. He might even prove to be useful to our cause."

The woman stood up and said, "As you wish, Magneto."

Had anyone walked through the park at this moment, they would've only seen a man staring at the retreating form of a hawk.

Institute…

Storm was currently tending to the gardens while her son read from his new tome. It seemed that the intellect his biological parents gave him as an infant had yet to vanish, for the young boy was already halfway through the book. He turned another page and stopped when he saw a spell that interested him.

The spell, if used correctly, would allow him to summon any animal to his side. His only problem was that the spell required the user to play a flute. Daemon turned to Ororo and said, "Mommy, have you seen my flute?"

The woman turned to her son and asked, "Why on earth would you need your flute? Are you going to play something?"

Daemon showed her the spell from his book. She looked at it and said, "I see. It should still be in my room."

Daemon nodded and sped off into the house…only to bump into one Jean Grey in the kitchen."

Jean looked down at him and said, "You need to be a little more careful, Daemon. You could get hurt like that."

After helping him to his feet, Jean dusted him off and said, "Try walking this time. If you're not careful, you might hit a wall."

Daemon nodded and said, "Thanks for the advice, but I'm more worried about running into Wolverine. Those bones are harder than any wall in the world."

He then walked out of the kitchen…and collided with one of Wolverine's legs. As soon as he looked up, he shut his eyes and said, "This just isn't my day."

The taller male picked him up and said, "Watch yourself, bub. Keep this up and I'll tell your mom to buy you some glasses."

Daemon gave a fake hiss and said, "Never. Anyways, I need to go get my flute."

After making his way to the second floor, it only took him a moment to get to Storm's room. Once there, he found his flute case sitting at the foot of her bed. "…And Bingo was his name-o," he said.

Grabbing his treasured instrument, he made a mad dash for his own room and ran for the balcony. As soon as he prepared to jump, a blue hand grabbed him. The figure that owned the hand said, "I'm going to assume that you have a completely logical reason for trying to jump off of your balcony."

Daemon turned to see Hank McCoy with a questionable look on his face. Daemon gave a simple grin. "Of course I have a good reason, Dr. McCoy. My room overlooks the garden. This is the fastest way to get there for me."

Hank sighed and put the snowy haired child down. "Honestly Daemon, you should consider the dangers of doing things. What if you got hurt on the way down? Your mother would have a fit."

Daemon snorted. "She'd have more than just a fit. However, I'm completely aware of the risks of jumping out of a window at this height. I was planning on floating down."

Hank looked at him and said, "Oh, thank the heavens. For a moment there, I thought you had gone mental."

Daemon smiled and said, "Oh, I haven't lost it just yet. If you'll excuse me, mother is waiting for me to come down."

With nothing else to say, Daemon jumped from his balcony and floated down to the ground below. Hank smiled and said to himself, "I might as well go down there and make sure he's not hurt."

Back in the gardens, Ororo watched in fascination as her son started playing his flute. The piece he was playing was slightly slow paced and held a medium to high pitch. Within a few seconds of playing, an owl flew down from a tree and rested on his shoulder. Daemon petted the owl before it flew away.

He then looked to his mother and said, "I guess sheet music and musical magic play hand in hand. It's gonna take some time to master this spell."

Storm embraced him and said, "I believe that your first try was very impressive. After all, magic like this is not usually seen in children."

Daemon giggled as he gave Storm another hug. In the doorway to the gardens, Beast smiled at the mirthful antics of his friends.

Once the two of them had stopped laughing, the young boy asked, "Mommy, when do I get to become an X-Man?"

Ororo gently tapped him on the nose and said, "I don't know, Daemon. Why do you want to be an X-Man? After all, there are so many things you can do in life."

Daemon shook his head and said, "I want to be able to protect the people I love and save people from bad guys."

Storm kissed her son on the forehead, "That is a very noble reason, my son. However, even if you don't become an X-Man, you will always be my little hero."

As Daemon and Ororo laughed the day away, they never realized that Daemon's inherited intellect would soon alter his mutation. Whether they knew it or not, Daemon would rise to the call of being a hero sooner than anyone could've guessed.


	3. Chapter 2: A Musical Day with Mystique

X-men Origins: Axion

Ch. 2

Summary: When a pair of mutants are captured and sent to Genosha, what will happen to their infant son? From being found by an assassin, to being raised by Mother Nature herself, watch this young man's rise to power.

Speaking: normal

Thoughts, flashbacks, com-link/mobile devices, and notes: _italicized_

Demons, monsters, etcetera: **bold**

Author speaking and spell casting: _**bold italicized**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or Capcom. That being said; please enjoy and don't forget to review.

Another year has passed in the X-Mansion and little Daemon has matured greatly for someone his age. Much to everyone's shock and awe, his mutant powers had been advancing at an exponential rate for someone of his age.

Doctor Strange watched in awe as his young student progressed through his lessons with ease. At the moment, he was currently speaking with Charles about the boy's progress…

"Professor Xavier, the rate at which Daemon has been learning is completely unheard of. Tell me, has he been attempting anything other than the spells I have approved of?"

Charles simply shook his head. "I highly doubt it, Steven. Daemon is a child who actually believes in following rules. I've only ever seen him stray from a rule if it was to help someone in need. To be honest, it's how he stays out of trouble with Ororo."

The sorcerer stopped to think over Charles's words. "If that's so, do you think you can explain it? I must admit to being quite curious about my student's learning capability."

Both men looked outside the office window to see Ororo and Daemon resting on a blanket. A closer look showed that Daemon was playing his flute. He then thought back to the day that Storm first purchased the instrument for her son.

Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock as he remembered that Daemon had only been three at the time when she acquired it. He turned to Steven and said, "I think I know what makes young Daemon so special. On the night of his parents' capture, his biological mother used her powers to enhance his mental capacity. Perhaps his own dormant mutation somehow latched onto that power and enhanced it to match his growing power levels once they became active."

Steven simply nodded and said, "It does seem reasonable when you put it that way, Charles. This turn of events actually plays out in my favor."

Charles perked an eyebrow as the sorcerer said, "With Daemon's potential growing at its current rate, I'll be able to move him forward to more advanced magic."

The professor nodded and looked out the window again. "That would be very beneficial to him, seeing as how he wants to be an X-Man. But for now, we should allow him to enjoy his freedom while he still has it."

Steven just shook his head as he walked to the door. He turned back for a final look out the window and said, "You are an intelligent man, but you are still blinded by Daemon's youth. His magic iswhat _gives him_ his freedom, professor."

Charles smiled and said, "Perhaps you are right, Steven. However, the call of the hero can be a very dangerous one. If Daemon wishes to be a hero, he at least deserves a fighting chance."

Meanwhile…

Storm listened in wonder as her son played his flute. The music had a slow tempo, but the mood was peaceful and uplifting. Ororo stared at the clouds in bliss as Daemon's music slowly eased her worries. She almost drifted to sleep until she noticed that the music had stopped. The woman sat up to see her son petting a black cat that had yellow eyes.

Daemon looked the cat in the eyes and said, "I guess you like my music almost as much as my mom."

The cat just gave what sounded like an approving meow. Storm stared at the cat and said, "Young man, were you using your powers during that song?"

Daemon just shook his head. "If I had been using my magic, there'd be a lot more animals here than just this one cat."

Before Ororo could comment, her communicator sounded off. She let out a sigh and said, "I guess our day of peace and quiet has come to an end. I want you to go back to the house until I return."

Daemon just pouted as his mother flew off. He was brought from his musings when the cat rubbed against his leg. Looking down, he saw that the cat was trying to jump into his arms.

Daemon just picked up the dark-furred animal and said, "I bet you're hungry. Let's go find you something to eat."

The cat meowed in what sounded like an agreement. As soon as Daemon made it inside the mansion, he levitated himself off of the ground and hovered into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen, he used his powers to open the fridge and get the milk. He then floated up to the cabinets and pulled down a small bowl. After pouring the milk into the saucer, he floated back into the living area and sat the bowl down next to the piano.

While the cat was sating its hunger, Daemon sat down at the piano and began playing 'Fur Elise'. As he came to the closing bar, the sound of light clapping roused him from his concentration.

Daemon turned around to see the professor and Jean walking up to him. Jean ruffled his hair and said, "I thought you only played the flute."

Daemon just gave a cheesy grin. "Mom thought it would be a good idea to take up more than one instrument. She feels it will make me a better-rounded musician."

Charles smiled and asked, "What else can you play, Daemon?"

The young Munroe thought about the question for a few moments. "I can play the flute and piccolo, the saxophone, the piano, the harp, the violin, and the guitar. I'm also learning how to play the drums."

While Charles knew that his mutation was granting him an advanced knowledge, he never would've guessed that Ororo had him pick up on so many instruments at such a young age. "Daemon, why exactly did Ororo choose to have you learn so many instruments?"

This question had the child puzzled. "What do you mean, professor? Mom only got me lessons on the flute and the piano. Doctor Strange had me learn the harp and the violin."

Jean quickly asked, "What about the other instruments?"

Daemon picked up his flute before saying, "I heard you talking to the professor about how much you like hearing saxophone music, and Elektra says that the drums teach you about rhythm."

Charles nodded and asked, "What about the guitar?"

Daemon let out a chuckle. "I just really like guitar music."

He then looked down and saw that the cat had finished its milk. Picking it up, he turned to Jean and asked, "Can you tell me if this is a male or a female?"

Jean used a small portion of her psychic energy before saying, "It's a girl, Daemon. Why did you want to know?"

Daemon shrugged as he sat the cat on the piano. "I probably won't be able to keep her, but I at least want to give her a name and a collar. That way, I'll know it's her if we ever meet again."

He then looked the cat in the eye and said, "Now, what should I name you? Your black fur is so sleek and your yellow eyes burn with such a mysterious quality."

Charles smiled at the boy's vocabulary. It seemed that magic and music weren't the only things that Daemon was learning.

Finally, after a good minute of thinking, Daemon proudly said, "I've got the perfect name for you. From now on, your name is Mystique."

Jean's eyes widened in shock as Daemon named the cat. She couldn't believe that he named a random cat after the woman who worked with Magneto. The thought of it was just…hilarious.

Jean had to excuse herself before she could start laughing. Charles however perked an eyebrow and said, "That's a very interesting name for a cat."

Daemon just shrugged and said, "I think it fits her just fine. She looks like a Mystique to me."

The professor just nodded and made to retreat to his office. "Make sure your little friend doesn't get into any trouble."

As soon as Charles rounded the corner, Daemon petted the cat and said, "Wait right here for a moment. I'll be right back."

Once the child was out of sight, the cat jumped down from the piano and transformed into a blue-skinned woman with red hair, yellow eyes, and a white dress. She pulled out a cell phone and dialed in a number.

After three rings, a smooth and deep male voice said, "What have you learned about the boy, Mystique?"

The woman sat down before saying, "From what I've gathered Magneto, the boy has a learning capacity that's completely unheard of in a five year old child. It seems that he also seems to love nature and music."

Magneto calmly asked, "_Would you care to elaborate on that? I find myself curious as to exactly how much of a learning capacity this one child could be wielding._"

Mystique brushed a hair out her face. "I heard him tell the professor that he is learning eight different instruments and has already become proficient in _at least_ half of them. From what I've seen up close, he has already mastered playing the flute and the piano. He has even learned how to incorporate his musical skills into his magic. According to his mother, he has learned to summon animals with his flute. I must confess to being impressed with his abilities."

Magneto simply chuckled. "_Keep an eye on him for a little longer before reporting back to me. Also, see if you can gauge his musical skills in any other instruments._"

Mystique quickly ended the phone call and resumed her disguise as a cat. Almost a moment later, Daemon jumped over the railing of the stairs and floated down to the piano. The only thing different about him was that he was carrying a large black case and a black strip of leather.

He took the leather and loosely tied it around Mystique's neck. With a quick incantation, the leather strip transformed into a perfectly fitting collar complete with a golden pendent. "I won't be keeping you, but maybe we'll see each other again."

He then pointed his hands at the drum set that was sitting across from the piano. Almost instantly, a translucent Daemon appeared holding a pair of drum sticks.

The real Daemon rubbed Mystique's head. "I've almost finished on that spell. I just need to learn how to make my clones more solid."

He then opened the black case to reveal a shiny blue electric guitar. After stopping to admire his instrument, Daemon adjusted the strings and plugged the guitar into an amp. He turned the volume up to four and started strumming out slow notes to make sure that the strings were properly set.

Once he was satisfied with the calibrations, he turned to his clone and said, "Let's do a little work on 'Treasure' by Flyleaf."

The clone nodded and pulled out a book of sheet music. "If Elektra was here, she could play second guitar."

With no warning, a female voice asked, "Are you talking about me again?"

Daemon turned around to see his god mother standing by an open window. "I wanted to see how you were doing and decided to drop in. it looks like I popped in just in time."

Before Daemon could say anything, Elektra picked up a red guitar from a stand and tuned her strings. "What are we playing?"

The young Munroe shook the cobwebs from his head. "We're practicing on 'Treasure' by Flyleaf. It's the first song I learned how to play."

Elektra nodded and said, "I think I can still play that one pretty well."

As the trio began to play, Mystique carefully observed Daemon's abilities. It seemed that his skills weren't just a boast. While nowhere near being a professional in either the guitar or drums, he played as well as anyone taking intermediate lessons.

Before long, Jean came from her room and asked, "Is that a Flyleaf song?"

Daemon's nod made her ask, do you mind if I try something?"

Jean quickly surveyed the room before finding a cordless microphone. It didn't take a rocket scientist to tell that she was intending to sing.

_That night I felt like I had become something treasured…different._

_Can I tell you a story as we dance while the sun starts to bleed?_

_Song of Songs, love is calling, daughter wake up from your sleep._

_Refined I'll become the most dazzling precious treasure_

_I'll be treasured over all the earth_

_Bearing the gift of a new heart_

_Patience ablaze I'm slowly burning_

_Refined I'll become the most dazzling precious treasure_

_I'll be treasured over all the earth (2x)_

_I am in awe and in shock_

_I'm in love and given away_

_I'm reserved with these words:_

_Can I tell you a story as we dance while the sun starts to bleed?_

_Trees rejoice with the wind here_

_Hallelujah, Yes Shua!_

_Tonight I've become the most dazzling precious treasure_

_I am treasured over all the earth_

_Just look at what he's done_

_How he's laying down his life_

_Take this life_

_Oh most dazzling precious treasure_

_Tonight I've become the most dazzling precious treasure_

_I am treasured over all the earth._

When the song was over, Daemon smiled and said, "That was great. I haven't been able to do that in forever."

He then looked at the clock and said, "I'm gonna go set the cat free. I'll be right back."

With that being said, he picked up Mystique and walked out into the garden. After setting her outside of the gates, he smiled and said, "Thanks for keeping me company today, Mystique. And don't worry about me telling anyone about your little secret. I just hope you try to visit more often."

After getting over her shock, Mystique changed into her human form. "How could you have possibly known what I was?"

Daemon just chuckled. "You can change your look, but your aura is something that can't be hidden from me."

The woman just looked at him and said, "You are a strange child, Daemon Munroe."

She then changed into a hawk and flew off. Elektra quickly found him and said, "Are you alright? You look like you just lost a friend."

Daemon smiled as he wiped a tear from his cheek. "I didn't lose a friend. I just made a new one."

Meanwhile…

Mystique looked in a full-body mirror before gasping. The collar that she had been wearing had transformed into a golden necklace with ten small heart-shaped diamonds resting against her collarbone.

At first, she made to remove the necklace from her person. However, just as she reached for the clasp, she gently ran a hand over the necklace and smiled. "I guess I can keep this for now."

She then looked out her window and thought, "_Somehow, I have the feeling that we __**will**__ meet again, Daemon._"


	4. Chapter 3: The Woe and Will of a Child

X-men Origins: Axion

Ch. 3

Summary: When a pair of mutants are captured and sent to Genosha, what will happen to their infant son? From being found by an assassin, to being raised by Mother Nature herself, watch this young man's rise to power.

Speaking: normal

Thoughts, flashbacks, com-link/mobile devices, and notes: _italicized_

Demons, monsters, etcetera: **bold**

Author speaking, mental speaking, and spell casting: _**bold italicized**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or Capcom. That being said; please enjoy and don't forget to review.

It had been six months since the incident with Mystique. During that time, Doctor Strange saw fit to teach Daemon a small number of defensive and offensive spells.

One spell that Daemon had truly taken a shine to was a spell that allowed him to form a bubble of magic around his body that would reflect any object that tried to penetrate it. The types of objects he could deflect depended on how much magic he used in the spell.

Another thing that he had been learning was elemental magic. Much like his mother, Daemon found himself to have a small level of control over the elements.

He had also begun to learn the basic forms of Kimagure from Elektra. This involved someone using meditation to become more aware of their surroundings.

Normally, one would place themselves in a relaxed area to practice meditation. Elektra however would almost always place Daemon in a crowded and usually noisy area.

When Ororo questioned her methods, the assassin simply said, "If Daemon can learn to meditate in a crowded and noisy area, it will become an active reflex over time."

As if to try and prove her methods to be effective, Elektra would never allow Daemon to remain still during these training sessions. She would always tell Daemon, "Meditation requires concentration. If you can learn that in a noisy crowd while in motion, it will only become easier."

To her happiness, Daemon set out to master this training exercise. He wanted to prove that he could accomplish this task. In his mind, this training would be another stepping stone on his path to become an X-Man.

At the moment, Daemon was currently practicing Kimagure by finding his way through the mansion while blindfolded. He was currently walking through the hallways with his flute when he heard the professor's voice. "Elektra, do you really think it's wise to teach the physical aspect of Kimagure to a five year old child?"

Elektra scoffed and said, "Charles, the entire point of Kimagure, both physical and spiritual, is to learn peace of mind and stability. If anything, Daemon should be able to master it sooner _because_ he's a child. If I tried to wait to teach him, it would get harder for him to calm his mind."

Suddenly, another voice said, "I have to agree with Elektra, Charles. Teaching my son the physical side of this exercise will only benefit him in the long run. He already seems to be grasping the spiritual side."

There was a pause before the professor said, "Elektra, if you have so much faith in Daemon's potential, I will issue you a challenge. If Daemon can prove himself to be at least proficient in the mental aspects of Kimagure before his sixth birthday, you will have free reign to begin his physical training. However, if he cannot prove himself ready, he will spend another three years practicing the spiritual focus before so much as even _attempting_ the physical side again."

Ororo just sighed in contempt. "Charles, have you no faith in my child?"

At that point, Daemon decided that he had heard more than enough. He tore off his blindfold and made a mad dash out of the institute.

Back in the professor's office, Charles looked out his window and said, "It's not that I have no faith in him. Your son heard our entire conversation, Storm. Once he has vented out his frustrations, he will strive to prove me wrong. His determination will be so great that he will unknowingly come closer to mastering Kimagure than most people could ever dream of."

The ninja looked at him in sadness before saying, "If you really feel that way, why are you being so heartless?"

Charles just sighed as he poured himself a glass of water. "Elektra, as his sensei, it falls to you to be his main pillar of support. While training him, he can never know of my true intentions."

Elektra smirked and said, "I thought you didn't want him growing up too fast."

Charles nodded and placed a hand on his forehead. "I also can't deny a young child the chance to achieve his dreams. Even if it means that he will resent me."

Suddenly, the professor's eyes widened. "Elektra, he's made his way into the woods. You need to hurry and find him because I can sense a family of wolves near his location."

Woods…

Daemon ran as deep into the woods until he found a large cave. Without considering the dangers that might be waiting, he ran inside before falling to the ground in tears.

He couldn't believe that the professor had all but directly said that he had no real faith in his abilities. After everything he had learned, Professor Xavier had clearly stated his doubt in Daemon's abilities.

The young boy was completely lost in his despair. Just as he thought things couldn't get any worse, he heard a low growling sound.

Turning his head to the cave entrance, he was faced with two rather large wolves and four cubs. Seeing no way to escape what could possibly be his final moment, Daemon simply closed his eyes and waited for it to end.

However, something wet on his face made him open his eyes. He was completely shocked to see the cubs licking him.

Slowly regaining his courage, Daemon reached out to the cubs. He was pleasantly surprised when all of them jumped into his arms and started trying to lick his face.

While Daemon was playing with the cubs, the parent wolves had decided that Daemon presented no threat to their pack and proceeded to walk over to him.

As the mother wolf curled herself around the boy's small form, the male had been sniffing around Daemon's body until his nose bumped the flute.

Seeing the wolf's surprise, Daemon pulled out his flute and began playing. To his surprise, the music was slowly lulling the wolf pack to sleep.

This was evident as they had all cuddled up to him. Before the wolves could fully rest for the night, Daemon stowed his flute away and curled up to the mother wolf. In only moments, the family of wolves and one human were soundly sleeping.

Elektra…

If there was ever anything you could tell Elektra that would make her panic, it would be that her godson was in the same area as a pack of wolves. The assassin wasted no time in tearing her way through the woods to find Daemon.

For what felt like hours, she checked every tree, bush, stream, and hole that she could find. Finally, she had managed to stumble upon a cave where she thought she was hearing multiple breathing sounds.

Deciding that finding her godson was worth facing whatever was inside, Elektra cautiously ventured into the cave. Seeing as how there was still some daylight left, she could still see into the back of the open area.

Imagine her surprise when she saw Daemon sleeping in the company of six wolves. The assassin let out a sigh of relief but quickly covered her mouth.

Even in her happiness, she remembered two very important things. Sound echoes in caves and wolves have very good ears.

Sadly for her, the wolves chose that moment to stir from their slumber. Thinking quickly, Elektra ducked into a shadowy area and waited for the chance to make a move.

When the alpha male had fully woken up, the hidden ninja watched in awe as the wolf gently roused Daemon from his slumber. Daemon woke with a yawn and looked around.

He looked at a dark corner for a few seconds before saying, "I know you're over there, Elektra. There's honestly no point in hiding from me."

As Elektra made herself known, the alpha male started to growl at her. Daemon placed a hand on the wolf's back and stood up. "It's alright," he said. "She's my friend."

He then looked to the assassin and said, "I can't believe he said that. I never thought the professor could be so cold-hearted."

Elektra scoffed and said, "Are you really gonna let the words of one old man get you down like this? I thought you wanted to be a hero."

Daemon growled and shouted, "I _do_ want to be a hero, Auntie! You know it's always been my dream to be a hero!"

"Then _why_ are you sitting in a cave doing _nothing_ to get there," Elektra asked. "If you really want to be a hero, you will go back to the mansion, gather your belongings, and bring them to the gates _without_ being seen."

Daemon looked into his godmother's eyes before grabbing his flute. "Let's get moving. We're wasting time just sitting here."

Institute…

Sneaking back into the mansion was relatively easy for Daemon. When he went into the forest, Charles thought it would be a good idea to send out Logan, Hank, and Ororo to search for him as well.

While they were gone, he only had to worry about getting past Charles, Scott, and Jean. Luckily, the defense bubble spell he learned blocked off his mind from telepaths.

All he had to do was sneak into the gardens and fly up to his window to get in. After pulling out a duffle bag from his closet, he filled it up with some clothes and a picture of him and his mom.

He then flew out of his room and landed outside of the gates. Within moments, he had managed to sneak around the perimeter of the wall to the front gates where Elektra was waiting in her car.

After jumping into the back seat, Daemon took one final look at the retreating form of the mansion he called home. His lingering thought was, "_I'll show you not to underestimate me, professor._"

Six months later…

Ever since Daemon had vanished from the mansion, things had become gloomy. Wolverine was rarely ever around anymore, Jean didn't sing like she used to, and Scott was just grumpy.

However, it was Ororo who was in the worst condition out of everyone there. When Charles told her that he couldn't find Daemon, she had isolated herself from everyone.

She spent most of her days crying while looking at a picture of her and her son. After three months had gone by, she found a small bit of solace in a cat that seemed to visit the institute once every week.

Whenever she let it in, it would either curl itself up on the piano seat or at the foot of Daemon's door. The only reason that no one did anything about the cat was because it was the cat that Daemon had named Mystique. Somehow, deep in her heart, Ororo knew that Daemon would've wanted her to watch over the black cat.

After another three months passed, things still hadn't become much better around the mansion. The only real difference was that Logan stayed around the institute more often.

While he would never admit it, Daemon would always be like a little brother to him. Even after the others had stopped searching, Logan and Ororo continued searching for the young Monroe.

Within the fourth month of the search, Charles suggested that they check with Doctor Strange. Ororo's spirit and overall mood elevated some when the Sorcerer Supreme informed her that he could still sense Daemon's magical signature on the mortal plane as well as that the boy's energy seemed to be at peace.

However, there was a very powerful magical interference that was keeping him from finding his young student. Still, that was enough good news to keep Logan and Ororo going.

Soon, days gave in to months and before anyone knew it, it was Daemon's sixth birthday. The thought alone of that made Ororo more miserable than ever.

When Charles decided to visit her, he wasn't surprised to find her crying out on her son's balcony. "Ororo," he said, "you know as well as I do that Daemon wouldn't want you in here crying. The sight alone would crush his spirits."

The next image that Charles Xavier saw would be forever burned into his mind out of raw, unfiltered fear. Storm had given him the coldest look she could muster. Her eyes were not only glowing from the inevitable use of her power, but the glow was a dark blue instead of being white in color.

In her visible rage, she had conjured a dark, swirling cloud and violent winds that threatened to tear the room apart. "You have _some nerve_ to even speak his name, Charles! He never would've gone missing if you hadn't destroyed his dreams the way you did! It's _your_ fault that Daemon is gone and yet you have the _nerve_ to act as if nothing has changed!"

Fortunately for the professor, Ororo's shouting prompted both Jean and Logan to rush to the room. Just as Storm unleashed a lightning bolt at Charles, Jean managed to conjure a psychic shield to protect him.

However, due to Jean's young age and lack of experience, the shield shattered after the attack. "Storm, what are you doing? Why are you attacking the professor," the girl asked.

Storm raised her hand and lifted up into the air as the lightning danced on her fingertips. "Move out of the way, Jean. This is between me and Charles. If you try to shield him, you will share in his fate."

Logan jumped to the front and said, "Storm, you have to listen to me. I know you're upset and you've got every right to be. But fryin' the kid and Chuck ain't gonna bring Daemon home."

He was forced to move as Ororo launched another bolt of lightning. Jean nervously took a step back as she witnessed her friend and mentor being consumed by her anger.

Logan growled and said, "I'm really sorry about this, Storm," before tackling her out of the air and into the gardens below.

Ororo quickly broke free of his grasp and summoned a tornado that threatened to uproot everything. Wolverine shielded his eyes while trying to move forward. "Ororo, you need to calm down before you destroy everything!"

Storm simply responded by hurling another lightning bolt at him. Logan quickly hit the ground and said, "Killing the professor is not going to make anything any better!"

Storm however was in no mood to listen to anyone. She quickly summoned a hailstorm to attack her fellow X-man. "That might be true," she said, "but it's a start!"

Logan dodged another blast of lightning and thought, "_I didn't wanna have to tell her this, but it might be the only thing that'll stop her._"

With no other nonviolent option, Logan shouted, "Storm, you have to listen to me! Chuck might've crushed the kid's dreams, but what you're doin' right now would break his heart! Hasn't he already gone through enough pain without his own _mother_ adding to it!?"

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Wolverine watched as the dark blue in Storm's eyes faded to white.

He knew that she was starting to calm down and took the chance to say, "Lemme tell you something about the kid. He once told me that it was _you_ who made him want to be a hero. It's _you_ that gives him the inspiration to push himself forward. And if you kill the professor, it'll be _you_ who destroys his views of the world. Now ask yourself this. Could you really do that to your own son?"

After what felt like an eternity, Ororo relinquished her anger and fell to the ground in tears. Logan dropped down to her side and said, "I may not be the best on emotions, but you shouldn't bottle things up like this. Besides, what would the kid say if he saw his mom lookin' like this?"

Ororo slowly wiped her tears away and said, "I'm sorry, but I just don't know what to do anymore. It's been six months and we still haven't found him. And today is his birthday, Logan. He should be celebrating it here at home where he belongs. I would give anything just to see him again."

Logan nodded and said, "Honestly, I wouldn't mind hearin' him play that flute again. The kid's got some talent with that thing. Heck, I can almost hear it playing."

He then stopped talking as he realized something. "Hold on a minute. That really is a flute playin' somewhere."

Ororo focused her ears until she heard the light sounds carrying across the wind. "I can hear it as well. Someone in the area is playing a flute. Logan, can you pinpoint the location?"

He didn't get a chance to speak as the black cat that associated with Daemon ran out of the house and pawed at Storm's leg.

She looked down long enough to see it trying to lead her to the front of the mansion. Logan chuckled and said, "I say we follow it. If anything, we'll find our mystery musician."

As the two mutants and one mutant in disguise ran in search of the music, they never noticed that they had run to the front of the institute. When they reached the gates, they noticed two different things.

The music had stopped and there wasn't anyone there. Without warning, a young voice said, "I assume the two of you were looking for me."

Storm and Logan quickly turned around to once again see nothing. The mysterious voice giggled and said, "Here I thought the X-men were better at this."

Logan snarled and said, "Why don't you cut the games and show yourself? None of us are in the mood for jokes."

Suddenly, Jean came outside and said, "Guys, there's someone in the mansion. We've got to find them."

As the group ran into the institute, Charles's voice called out, "_**There is something very familiar about this intruder. Approach this person with caution and use non-lethal force.**_"

At that moment, the voice chimed out, "It won't be that easy, professor. They have to play by my rules to find me."

Jean frowned and said, "Give us one good reason why we should listen to you."

The voice let out a jovial laugh and said, "If you play my game, I'll take you to see your precious Daemon."

Everyone was halted by that declaration. It seemed as though the chance to find Daemon had fallen into their lap.

Still, there was something pulling at Wolverine's conscious. He gave a rough snort and said, "How do we know you'll hold your end of the deal, bub?"

The voice chuckled and said, "That's the entire point. You can't know if I'll hold up my end of the bargain. You'll just have to pray for the best. After all, I'm the only one who can lead you to Daemon."

Before Logan could protest, Ororo quickly said, "We'll play your games, stranger. But if you don't honor your end of the deal, I'll hunt you down and make you pay."

The voice chuckled again and said, "I'm glad you've all decided to play with me so I'll keep it simple. There are things in the mansion involving Daemon that have been put out of order. If you can find and restore them all, I'll take you directly to him. Your only clue is that there are three things wrong and only one problem doesn't directly involve Daemon. By the way, you only have an hour and the game has begun."

In an instant, the group spread out to try and find the hidden items. They had decided to go in separate directions to capitalize on their time.

While Jean and Logan searched inside the mansion, Ororo chose to look around in the gardens. Almost instantly, she noticed that a group of sunflowers had been wilting as opposed to the other flowers.

However it wasn't the flowers' droopiness that caught her eye. Resting at the base of the plants was a group of dandelions. "Ugh, _Daemon absolutely hates dandelions. He considers them to be nothing but flower killing leeches_," Ororo thought.

She then conjured up a small raincloud over the sunflowers while she set to work at pulling up the dandelions by the root. After pulling the last weed, the weather witch searched the remainder of the garden for any clues. In her haste, she never saw the bright flowers slowly spring back to life.

Meanwhile, Logan was looking around Daemon's room when he noticed a drawing on the boy's bed. He quickly picked it up and saw that it was actually a design for a costume.

Looking closer, he realized that it was basically a red version of Storm's uniform with dark blue boots, joint pads, and gauntlets. Logan smiled as he thought, "_Ororo Munroe, you honestly don't know how much that kid looks up to you._"

Above the design, Daemon had left a caption that said "incomplete". Wolverine picked up a pencil and wrote "Add a blue X-Men logo over the heart and a red domino mask for the eyes" below the picture before leaving the room to continue his search. Had he remained for even a second longer, he would've seen the picture vanish into thin air.

While that was happening, Jean's search led her into the music room where she noticed one of the saxophones was out of place. She put it back on its proper stand before she noticed a picture on the ground.

When she picked it up, she saw that is was a picture of the X-Men in their gear standing in front of the Blackbird. Jean smiled as she remembered the day that Storm had given Daemon that picture.

"Wait a minute," she said to herself. "The voice said that there was something here that didn't directly involve Daemon. What if…"

She continued to think on the situation before gasping. "That's what he meant. I've got to tell the others."

One hour later…

As Ororo, Logan, and Jean met up in the main hall to discuss their findings, the voice chimed out to the trio. "Your time is up, heroes. What have you all learned?"

Jean held up the picture and said, "You told us that one of the things in the mansion didn't directly involve Daemon yet still involved him. This picture was given to him by his mother last year. As of late, it's the only group picture that he isn't _**directly**_ involved with because it's the only one that _**he isn't in**_."

There was a long pause before the voice gave a jovial laugh. "I see that you've passed my little test. As per our agreement, I will take you to see your precious Daemon."

Jean scoffed and replied, "Save us the theatrics, Elektra. Just tell us where Daemon is."

Everyone turned around as a familiar voice said, "I'm surprised that you figured me out. What gave me away?"

Jean held up the picture again and said, "This picture along with one of Daemon and Ororo went missing around the same time that Daemon did. Oddly enough, considering that you're his godmother, you are the only person who hasn't been to the mansion at all this year to try and find him. Add in that we know Daemon is still alive and it was easy to guess that you were somehow involved in this."

Elektra just clapped as another voice said, "Jean Grey, you have some pretty decent detective skills. However, you never even guessed that this whole game was actually _my_ idea. After all, not even Elektra knows enough about me or the mansion to have done this on her own."

Wolverine's eyes widened as he recognized the tone of the new voice. "I'd know that voice anywhere. Why don't you come on out here, Daemon?"

The voice chuckled before replying, "I'm already here, Uncle Logan. Why don't you all turn around and face me?"

Everyone slowly turned to the staircase to see a boy with short white hair and blue eyes wearing a black karate outfit. The boy stepped down from the stairs and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Daemon Osiris Munroe is back."

As the X-Men all stared in awe, Daemon's mood and facial expressions turned dark as he said, "Now, where is Professor Charles Xavier? He and I have a bit of…_unfinished business_ to attend to."

The X-Men all shared a single thought as the boy took his first step forward. Daemon Osiris Munroe had indeed returned…and he was _**not**_ happy.


	5. Chapter 4: Return of the Doomed Hero

X-men Origins: Axion

Ch. 4

Summary: When a pair of mutants are captured and sent to Genosha, what will happen to their infant son? From being found by an assassin, to being raised by Mother Nature herself, watch this young man's rise to power.

Speaking: normal

Thoughts, flashbacks, com-link/mobile devices, and notes: _italicized_

Demons, monsters, etcetera: **bold**

Author speaking, mental speaking, and spell casting: _**bold italicized**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel or Capcom. That being said; please enjoy and don't forget to review.

Storm attempted to halt her son's advance towards the professor's office, but Elektra stood in her way. "Ororo, you know that Daemon and Charles have to settle the score between each other. I can't allow you to interfere."

Ororo held up a lightning covered hand to show that she wouldn't back down. "Elektra, as angry as I am with Charles, I realize now that violence won't solve anything. You have to let me stop him."

Logan just placed a hand on Ororo's shoulder and shook his head. "The kid won't hurt him. It's just not in his…"

Everyone froze as a loud crash echoed through the mansion. A few moments later, Charles wheeled himself out of his office with Daemon in tow.

Charles looked at his friends before adjusting his tie. "I apologize for disturbing you all with that crash. Daemon was simply reminding me of why it isn't polite to toy with the emotions of a child."

Daemon gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry about the lamp, professor. I was aiming for the wall."

Charles waved him off before saying, "Now that we've settled this little matter, I do believe that today is still young Daemon's birthday. With his return to the mansion, I feel a celebration is in order."

Storm nodded with enthusiasm and said, "Yes, this is the perfect occasion to celebrate. Daemon has returned and our little family is whole once again."

While the X-Men chattered about in making plans for a party, Daemon started to hear a voice in the back of his head. "_**So, you are the mysterious child of the X-Men. I look forward to meeting you.**_"

Daemon quickly turned to Charles and said, "Professor, did you by any chance hear a woman's voice?"

Charles shook his head. "I didn't hear anything, Daemon. Did the voice sound familiar?"

Daemon was about to respond when the voice said, "_**Come to the park in thirty minutes, Daemon Munroe. I will be waiting near the old maple tree. You may bring whomever you would like and I will come alone as a show of trust.**_"

Daemon turned his attention to Elektra and said, "Elektra, I need you and Logan to do something for me."

Elektra perked up an eyebrow in caution. "What exactly do you need and how much is it gonna cost?"

Daemon smirked and said, "The price is a moment of your time and a ride to the park. I need to get to the maple tree near the broken fountain in thirty minutes."

Logan just grabbed his keys. "Well, it is a nice day for a joyride."

Park…

Daemon, now wearing a red shirt and blue jeans, walked over to the broken fountain with Elektra and said, "I already know you're here. I've held up on my end now come out where I can see you."

There was a pause before a female voice said, "You did indeed keep your word. It's only fair that I keep mine."

Daemon watched in curiosity as a woman in a white suit emerged from behind the maple tree. "Good afternoon, Daemon Munroe. My name is Emma Frost. I have a few questions that I'd like to ask you."

Daemon nodded before saying, "I have my own questions as well. Why don't we play the one and one game?"

Emma knew this game well. It basically means that they take turns asking one question each. With a polite nod, Emma responded, "Seeing as how you're the guest of honor, you have the floor."

Daemon sat down in the grass and said, "Why did you call me out here instead of coming to the mansion?"

Emma smirked as she looked at her manicured nails. "I see you're smarter than the average five year old. My original plan had been to speak with you in your home, but I was already here when I called out to you and it's such a beautiful day."

Daemon nodded and said, "I believe that the spotlight is on you. By the by, it's my birthday today and I just turned six."

Emma sat down on a park bench before saying, "How is it that a six year old boy gets to be this paranoid? It's completely unheard of."

Daemon brushed a hand through his hair in amusement. "My godmother is an assassin, I'm friends with a shape-shifter, and my teacher is a sorcerer. I've been paranoid since the age of four. Now, why were you poking around in my mind today?"

Emma smirked at the boy's boldness. "I see you felt that. To be honest, my curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to know a little more about you. Also, I'd like to point out that I'm impressed with your love of music."

Daemon smirked as the woman asked, "Why do I get the feeling that you know something that you shouldn't be aware of?"

Daemon outright laughed at this question. "I think you're telepathy is picking up on one of my older memories. You might be referring to the first time that I met Nick Fury and gave him a culture shock."

Emma allowed herself to giggle before saying, "So, you're intelligent and funny. I'll have to remember that. The floor is yours again."

Daemon sobered up before reaching behind his back. Much to Emma's shock, the boy pulled out a five-pointed foldable shuriken. "Why did you bring someone with you when you promised to come alone? Did you really believe that I wouldn't sense the woman hiding in the tree?"

Emma quickly stood up and said, "I can assure you that I was here alone this entire time. Whoever is there _**did not**_ accompany me."

The woman then used a telekinetic blast to shake the tree hard enough to make the eavesdropper fall to the ground. Emma took one look at the woman and said, "Daemon, I have no idea who that is. However, I can see from the uniform that she works for SHIELD."

The mysterious woman quickly jumped to her feet and said, "You would be correct in that assumption. My name is…"

"…Black Widow," cut in Elektra. "What are you doing this far away from SHIELD headquarters?"

The redheaded woman smirked and said, "Commander Fury wanted to wish Daemon a happy sixth birthday. However, his hands are currently tied and he sent me in his place."

Daemon carefully fingered his shuriken and asked, "If that's true, why were you sneaking around and spying on me?"

Widow sat down next to Emma and said, "What can I say? I'm still on the clock and I didn't want to interrupt your conversation. Also, Commander Fury did say that he would be keeping an eye on you."

Daemon put his weapon away and stood up. "You said your name was Black Widow. I thought you were blonde."

Elektra shook her head. "That's the other Black Widow, Yelena Belova. This is Natasha."

Daemon nodded before saying, "Nick Fury knows I don't like SHIELD spying on me. In fact, this makes strike three for him and he now owes me a great deal."

Natasha was about to argue that when her com-link went off. "_Black Widow, he's absolutely right_," said Fury's voice. "_Ask him what he wants in return._"

Daemon gave a rather devious smile as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a stick of gum. "Tell baldy that I'll be waiting on him at the mansion next week to negotiate the terms of agreement."

He then turned to Emma and said, "I'm sorry for accusing you, but I was taught to always be on alert. Meet me next Saturday at the mansion and we can try this again."

Emma nodded as she reached for her car keys. "You are an interesting child, Daemon Munroe. We'll talk again. And have a happy 6th birthday today, Daemon."

As soon as she was gone, Daemon turned to Elektra and said, "Head on back to the mansion. I'll be following close behind."

Elektra smirked as she heard Logan start the car. "I'm sure your family will be quite shocked. I want you to be careful, Daemon."

Natasha wanted to ask him how he intended to do that, but didn't get the chance as Daemon encased himself in a transparent sphere of magic and quickly levitated over the trees. Within mere seconds, the child was completely out of sight.

The woman tried to ask Elektra, only to find that the assassin had vanished. With a heavy sigh, Natasha activated her com-link and said, "Commander Fury, I'm requesting authorization for a Level 4 Alert with a 'do not attack' order and an escort."

Nick was quick to ask, "_And what would warrant that kind of security?_"

Natasha smiled as she answered, "We have an IFC heading for the Xavier Institute."

There was a pause before Nick said, "_Black Widow, please elaborate on what in everything peaceful an IFC is supposed to be._"

Natasha slowly walked to her car and said, "It's an Identified Flying Child. Daemon Munroe is currently sky-high in a transparent bubble and I don't think his family would be too happy if we accidently shot him down. After all, his godmother _**did**_ once infiltrate our headquarters twelve times in the same week. Let's not forget what Logan said his mother almost did during that fiasco in Santa Ana last year."

There was an even longer pause before Nick said, "_So, it's being officially listed under an IFC right?_"

Mansion…

As Logan and Elektra pulled into the driveway, Ororo came outside and said, "Where is my son, Elektra? Why isn't he with you?"

Elektra placed a hand on the mutant's shoulder and smiled. "Daemon has a little surprise for you all. Call the others outside…and try not to blink."

Storm gave the ninja a strange look as she went back into the mansion to gather everyone. Within minutes of entry, the woman reemerged from the mansion with the others in tow.

Elektra looked at her watch before saying, "Don't look at me. Daemon's up there," while pointing at the evening sky.

Everyone turned their attention to a small dot in the sky that was rapidly approaching. Storm, being the concerned mother that she should be, shot off into the air to ensure that her son wasn't in any danger.

With Daemon…

The young Munroe smiled as two SHIELD troops followed him closely on hover bikes. Seeing as how both women had children of their own, ensuring that nothing happened to Daemon was currently their top priority.

The woman on the left saw Storm's distant figure approaching at a rapid pace. "Daemon is that your mother shooting at us faster than an RPG…or is that an actual RPG," joked one of the guards.

Daemon used magic on his eyes to increase the distance he could see for five seconds before laughing. "That's not an RPG. It's my overprotective mother putting an RPG to shame."

The escort on the right smiled at Ororo's mother hen complex before falling back into a sense of comfort. That comfort was shattered when Daemon said, "I think I can put her speed to shame. I hope you can keep up."

Before the two could even react, Daemon burst the bubble to show that he could fly under his own power. The part that stunned the escorts was that he shot off past them without a second thought. The left escort just whistled in awe. "He's a fast little runt. We'd better make sure he doesn't get hurt."

The two SHIELD agents watched as Ororo and Daemon were about to pass each other, only for Daemon to literally fly circles around his mother.

Daemon halted himself in front of her and said, "I see you can move pretty fast, mom. But, do you think you can fly faster than me?"

Storm, having moved past the worried phase, gave her son a knowing smirk. "Young man, you'd need a lifetime of lessons before you beat me in a flying race. Still, the idea of a race sounds thrilling."

Before Daemon could react, Ororo used her cape to blindside him and took off for the mansion. The child laughed before shooting off after his mother.

Mansion…

Elektra, who was wielding a pair of binoculars, laughed as the two flew around each other in an attempt of outfly the other. The assassin smiled as she handed the binoculars to Charles. "Those two are a riot, Charles. I can guarantee that things won't ever be boring around here."

Charles watched as Daemon landed in the driveway only a second before his mother. "I have no doubt about that, Elektra. Daemon will go far."

Four years later…

Daemon Munroe sighed as he entered the mansion. Even at the age of ten, he found school to be an absolute nightmare. The boy pulled his now shoulder-length hair into a low ponytail as he sat his schoolbag down. He then walked into the kitchen when he saw Logan rush past him.

As soon as Logan saw him, he stopped moving and said, "Daemon, I just heard that three Sentinels are making a mess downtown. Charles wants us to go and help out."

Daemon grabbed a quick glass of water and said, "I just got home from school, Logan. Plus, I still have two years on probation before I'm allowed to go on high-risk missions."

Logan growled before saying, "Hold that thought, kid. Hank just told me that your mom's been knocked out of the…"

He couldn't even finish as Daemon sped past him. The ten year old flew up to his room and shouted, "I'll meet you out there, Logan."

Later…

The X-Men had managed to scrap two of the Sentinels when three more showed up. Jean pushed another one back with a TK blast before ducking under an energy beam. "This is getting annoying," she said.

Logan carved through a Sentinel with his claws and smirked. "Don't worry about that, Jean. Help should be here right about…now."

Before Jean could register what he meant, a red and blue blur flew past one of the Sentinels before it lost an arm. She then heard a voice say, "You would think that Trask would stop sending these things. It gets annoying after a while."

Jean looked up to see a short figure in a dark red X-Men uniform with blue armor pads, a blue domino mask, and a red cape with a blue underside. The figure also had white hair and was carrying what looked like a pair of foldable swords.

Wolverine smirked as he beheaded another Sentinel. "Maelstrom, deal with the rest of these. I'll get the team out of here."

The now identified Maelstrom nodded as he sliced his way through the final two machines. Within minutes of flying around and dodging lasers, the newcomer had dismantled the Sentinels. He then flew down to the team and said, "Let's get out of here before more of them show up."

Mansion…

Once the team made it back to the mansion and Ororo had come around, Charles called everyone to the living room. After the team had assembled, Charles said, "Team, you all did well today against the Sentinel threat while only causing minimal damage. I am proud of you all, including our newest member."

Maelstrom nodded and pulled off his mask. "Thank you for that, professor. Without that probation holding me down, I can put my talents to better use. Now, I need to get upstairs and do my homework. It is still a school night."

Everyone laughed as Daemon left to do his homework. That was brought to a halt as Charles felt an unfamiliar presence in the mansion. "Team, I must retire to my office for a moment. If anyone needs me, I will try to accommodate you as soon as I can."

Minutes later…

As Charles entered his office, he was greeted to the sight of a blind mam with grey hair. The man gave a polite bow before saying, "Good evening, Charles Xavier. My name is Stick and I am the sensei of both Elektra and Daemon. I have come to you with a terrible message."

Charles rolled up to the desk as Stick continued, "As a master of Kimagure, I can see glimpses of the future. Sadly, I have seen that young Daemon will soon be captured by the Hand. They will destroy his mind and turn him into their personal assassin."

Charles frowned as he listened on. While he knew what his own visions had shown him, he knew that the man who instructed Elektra would gain nothing from lying to him.

With a rapidly breaking heart, Charles urged him to continue. Stick grimaced before saying, "In little more than two years from today, Elektra will locate the Hand's secret location and attempt to rescue Daemon. When she finds him, they will enter a nonstop battle that will carry on for three days. Fortunately, the battle will push him to his limits and slowly restore his mind to the point that he will begin to remember who he is."

Charles nodded in relief until he realized that he could still feel the regret that lingered in Stick's tone. "Your tone is still a somber one. I can sense that this story will not end well for someone."

Stick solemnly nodded as he continued on. "In an attempt to keep Daemon under their control, a member of the Hand will try to eliminate Elektra from the equation. It is also at that very moment that Daemon will fully regain his memories and commit his final act of valor."

Charles gasped as Stick's words hung in the air. "You can't possibly mean to tell me that…"

"I'm afraid so," countered the blind man. "At only the age of thirteen, Daemon will sacrifice his life for Elektra's sake. He will die to save the woman who rescued him from the darkness. And no matter what we do, there is nothing anyone can do to stop it from happening."

Charles could only watch in silence as Stick wiped away a trail of tears. As the man bowed to the professor and left, Charles could only think, "_Daemon, it seems as if I have failed you yet again. Only this time, the cost of my failure will be far too high._"


End file.
